(MICHIGAN CITY) - The beach near Mount Baldy was closed for public safety after rescuers had to use heavy equipment to pull an 8-year-old boy from a large sand dune.

The boy had been trapped for more than three hours in a dune that was possibly undermined by a sinkhole. He was taken to St Anthony Hospital in Michigan city and later transferred to a hospital in Chicago.

Officials said the boy's condition is unknown and they will continue to investigate the cause of the accident.

Mount Baldy beach will remain closed for the weekend as a safety precaution.